Twisted Sister Founder On 12-12-12 Concert: Song Selection Off -- And Where's The Metal?
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Jay Jay French was among the two billion people who tuned in for Wednesday night's "12-12-12" concert at Madison Square Garden to aid relief efforts after the devastation of Superstorm Sandy.
French -- manager, guitarist and founder of Twisted Sister, said the top acts did a "good job," though he wasn't impressed — at all — by some decisions regarding song selection.
"I think Jon Bon Jovi is the only one who understood what you're supposed to be doing in a situation like that," he told WFAN's Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton on Thursday.
He would have preferred just the biggest of big hits -- that means no new stuff -- from stars like Bruce Springsteen.
And more metal.
"You play the biggest things you got, get the audience going nuts," he said. "I mean, they don't like metal bands at these things, which kind of really is offensive to me."
LISTEN: Jay Jay French with Boomer & Carton
He added: "Nobody cares. These bands, I don't know if they don't get it. They should get it. I hate to use the word oldies, I don't mean to say that, they're iconic acts, but give the people what they want, man. That's what you do. That's what we do."
Twisted Sister -- French, Dee Snider, Eddie Ojeda, Mark Mendoza and A. J. Pero -- will play their own Sandy benefit concert on Dec. 16 at The Emporium in Patchogue.
Adrenaline Mob, Andrew W.K. and former Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams, a Latin Grammy-nominated guitarist, are also scheduled to perform.
"We have played in every bar in every one of these towns," said French. "We are so connected, more so than I think these other bands. I mean, no disrespect to Bruce or to Jon, but we played the entire Tri-State bar scene for 10 years and are so indelibly connected.
"Not only that, but Eddie's from the Bronx, I'm from Manhattan, A.J.'s from Staten Island, Dee is Suffolk County, Mark is Nassau County. We are so connected to this."
Twisted Sister also put on an alternate benefit 11 years ago after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He said the band was snubbed for the 9/11 concert at MSG because organizers "didn't want metal bands."
"We were told back then, 'You're too aggressive.' And I'm thinking, (they) knocked down the World Trade Center. Don't you want someone screaming 'We're not gonna take it!'? ... They kind of blacklist us all, which really is a shame to me. I don't get it."
Does French have a point? Let us know in the comments...
